


Make Me Stay

by YamikoPros



Category: Devil May Cry, DmC: Devil May Cry
Genre: Adult Themes, Angst, Domestic, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Mild Smut, Mutual Pining, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Past college student turned demon hunter is always fun, Roommates, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-16
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2020-03-06 06:16:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18845326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YamikoPros/pseuds/YamikoPros
Summary: Your lease is up and you're looking for a place to stay while maintaining your job as a demon hunter at Devil May Cry. Dante offers you the spare bedroom at the shop. As business partners, it makes sense. As close friends who don't fully know how they feel for one another? Well...[Fem!Reader]





	1. Move Out

A knock at your front door alerted your attention as you where in the middle of packing away some dvds in the living room. You eyed the door cautiously and another knock got you to your feet. You pulled out your pocket knife and sauntered to the door cautiously. Slowly you opened it and the first thing that got your attention was…

“Well hello there beautiful, ain't you a sight for sore ey-” 

You closed the door immediately on the tall white haired man who stood in front of your entryway. Its 10 in the morning, and the streets already became active around your complex. How did he get here? You didn’t even expect him to be up until 1:00 pm, much less visit your home. Sighing, you listen to the sound around you--soft music from your laptop, white noise from the fans and street outside the apartment.  
Another knock snaps you out of your head-space and you grumble, opening the door you glared at Dante. 

“What do you want? It’s my day off.” you stare up at the smirking half-devil. A bouquet of flowers enters your field of view as Dante tilts his head.  
“What, I can’t visit my favorite partner in crime? Let me in.” He speaks up. He hands you the small bouquet and you give in. Shaking your head, you open the door fully for Dante as you take a step back.

Boxes and boxes piled up in your lonely one bedroom apartment. You scratched the back of your head looking around as Dante stepped in. He observed the state of your home which was in disarray from being in the middle of packing. Most things, such as nick-nacks and outdated weapons where already stored in cardboard containers. Pictures of friends, family, and loved ones still hung on the white walls. House plants donned nearly every surface, even being placed on some of the boxes. Dante admired the aesthetic, a far cry from his own dark shop. He felt something sniff his hand as he looked down at your dog. It turned its head curiously at the new person, and their tail wagged.

You started to head into the kitchen, checking on your lunch? Breakfast? Didn’t matter, you were hungry. “So, what brings you to my humble abode? I’ve been busy, if you haven't notice.” You comment, chopping greens on your cutting board.

“Well, I had heard rumors of a pretty babe such as yourself getting ready to skip town--and thought I’d might see for myself.” Dante responded, in the process of petting your large companion while sitting at the dining table--eyeing you intently with his ever present smirk on his face. 

You groaned “This again? Dante. My lease is ending soon, and while Morrison has been helping me find a place, the whole ‘Hi my main source of income is hunting monsters and demons, and its spotty at best along with my research on material culture about said demons’ skit doesn’t do well with landlords.” You shook your head, finishing the prep work as you checked the oven. 

Dante watched you curiously, seeing the way your hair was tied up in a messy bun, and your midriff showing between a nice crop top and high-waisted pants. You two have been business partners for quite some time, and even better friends longer than that. He had met you while you were in graduate school for a degree you long since ignored. At most 7 or so years your senior it wasn’t completely out of the norm when you started hanging with him, getting drinks at your favorite bar in Red Grave and finding yourself on his couch on nights you didn’t remember too well. At first you ignored his job field and his heritage as much as he ignored your interest in artifacts and ancient cultures. Obviously they overlapped more than you liked.

“Well, I’d hate to lose my favorite gal, outside of Trish and Lady. Besides, what would even happen if you do leave? Start doing contract work? Ooh, maybe work at a university!” He teased, leaning forward on your table as he poked the bouquet you placed in a simple vase.  
“Ugghhh I could kill you right now Dante. This isn’t helping” You glared. You cleaned your knife and pointed it at him warningly. He laughed. 

Sighing, you zoned out again, staring at a picture framed on the wall near the dining room. It was a picture of you and your field team, during your first expedition. You must’ve been no more than 22 at the time, and your arms were around two of your closest friends in the center, with around 5 other people around you. Everyone in the picture was caked in mud, and piles and piles of unsorted material was in the backdrop. Still, grinning faces where on each person. You didn’t want to think about it anymore. 

A snap snatched your attention as Dante waved a hand “Hello, earth to (y/n)? You in there?” He looked at you, attention also shifting onto the photo. He grimaced, hearing the story of how your team was attacked only a week later, and many of the people in that picture where no longer around. 

Slowly, he got up and walked to you, placing a comforting hand on your shoulder. Though he would never admit it, he was worried about you. He’s known you long enough to tell when you're stressed, and the tenseness of your body under his touch only solidified the theory. You put your head in your hands, thinking. 

“I don’t want to go. I enjoy my job enough, but it's just something that happens. This place is already leased after my move out date, and at this point I might just be living in my car.” You admitted quietly, and if Dante didn’t have great hearing he probably wouldn’t have picked it up.

You lifted your head up to look into his ice blue eyes as he looked into yours. He was thinking, and you didn’t like that one bit. 

He hummed, and pulled you closer into a makeshift hug. You froze. Despite years of knowing him, a hug was something you not get often. The most physical you two get was pulling and dragging each other through work, covered in blood and gore. This was… out of character. You curiously looked up at him, feeling his arms wrap around your form. You gently placed your hands on his chest, trying to keep some distance. 

“Live with me.” He mused.

“.....What?”


	2. Move In

“Live with me!” Dante states, removing you from his hold and grinning ear to ear--like he just had an epiphany. 

“Dante..what the hell are you on? Live with you?” You cross your arms and stared up at him, confusion written all over your face.  
“Now, I don’t use my brain very often but hear me out. I got a spare bedroom upstairs and a place to stay for you, my lovely lady friend” He gestures to you with finger guns and you roll your eyes. “Besides, it’d offset my costs if you pay rent, and… you can stay as long as you like? No lease, no strings attached. Anything is better than living in that tiny compact you drive, right?” He smirked, obviously pleased at his idea. Hell, you think he already imagined you there now. 

You throw your hands up in the air in exacerbation and turn to walk away from him, heading towards the living room as he trails behind you. You sit on your small couch and contemplate. The idea nowhere near crossed your mind until now, and you felt your stomach drop even thinking about it. Your dog, Aspen, had also decided to join you as they climb up and rest their head on you. You pet their head subconsciously.

“Are you sure about this? I get you're trying to keep me here, but I don’t know if living at the shop is the best idea. Besides, aren’t we a little old for this roommate nonsense?” You tilt your head at the white haired man who was now looking at you with the same curiosity. He leaned against the wall of your living room, mindful of the decorations that still hung there. Dante chuckled, crossing his arms. “What can I say, the economy is in shambles.” 

You absentmindedly stroked Aspen’s head, thinking. It would help alleviate the stress of trying to find a new place immediately. It wasn’t a bad deal, if only a temporary one. You clicked your tongue and looked over at the half-devil. It’d only be a couple months, right?  
“Deal. On one condition.”  
“What is it?”  
“Buy me dinner first.”  
“Deal.” 

\---

And just like that, you were moving into the Devil May Cry a week later. Dante and Trish had been gracious enough to help you move your things into the spare bedroom. Dante had moved his previous junk into his large bedroom or down in the storage closet underneath the shop. Most of your furniture made the move, minus your sectional and a coffee table. Your obviously nicer dining table stood out from the dark and gothic aesthetic that the shop kept. Still, your houseplants made the whole space feel brighter. You kept most of your personal things in your new bedroom, but ended up revamping your desk with all the nic-nacs from your house. Artifacts and field notes adorned the surface of the oak desk, covered in scratch marks from God knows when. You had boxes and boxes of the stuff next to the desk for safe keeping, seeing if anything connected to a recent or past "gig". Your furry companion found themself right at home in the plethora of dog beds that Lady ended up buying, along with a crate full of toys to offset the new space. It felt more homey.

You tapped your nails on the desk absentmindedly, listening to the large clock that hung above the stairway. Being in the middle of reconstructing some artifact that was tied to a demon some months ago was a chore and you lost the motivation a couple hours ago. The sound of pool balls being hit broke your daze as you watched Dante, Lady, and Trish play pool. The sound of old classic rock played from the old antique jukebox filled your ears as you walked over and grabbed your own pool stick.

“Whose team am I on?” You hummed, watching Dante line up a shot.  
“That would be mine.” Trish purred in your ear as you you felt her arm wrap around your waist. She was a flirty one, and not afraid of invading your personal space. You giggled, touching her arm in an attempt to peel her off of you. Trish loved to tease you, and you were more than happy to give back in your own flirtatious way, just not right now. You hear Dante curse as he misses his shot, hitting one of the stripped balls into the corner hole. He hangs his head limply in defeat while you hip bump him out of the way. 

You tapped the middle left hole and lined up the shot, aiming at the stripped 13 ball as you hummed along to the song playing in the background. “So what's this about a new job?” You asked Lady as you shot the white ball, it hitting the 13 and causing it to ricochet off the adjacent wall and into the hole. Trish laughed as Dante groaned, obviously annoyed with his bad luck. 

“Well, there’s a couple. Currently, Dante and Trish took care of the trouble in Fortuna,but demons are still prevalent in the area. There's a couple towns that are still recovering. I don't know all the details yet, if they are controlled by some remnants of the order or if they are solitary. I’ll get to you on that.” Lady states, moving closer to the pool table and bending down suggestively to aim her shot.

“Another one is the simple bait and switch mission, you know the drill. Town on the coast is currently having a demon infestation; and stealing children and the like.” Lady finished, going in for a shot at the solid 2 ball, landing it in the correct hole. She stands straight and looks at you, eyeing you up and down. You grinned sheepishly. You two have known each other for some time, and worked on several missions together--getting along quite well. While obviously not as close to Lady as you where to Dante and Trish, you would call yourselves good friends. 

You contemplate the mission. “If the latter is still available, I’ll take it. Y’all can clean up the rest of that mess without me” You hummed, watching Trish line up a shot and fail, causing Dante to laugh. “You want to go alone on this one? Think you can handle a big bad demon without moi?” Dante teases, looking up at you as he saunters towards the pool table, a glass of whiskey in his hand. You look at him and rolled your eyes. 

“I don’t get enough solo work as it is, could be good for me.” You smiled, taking his glass and downing it with a grin. “Hey!” He cried out, causing you to laugh as you shake your head--feeling the burn in your throat. “Ooh you so owe me after this.” He warned, lining up for another shot of pool. 

\--

The night had started to wind down, where the moon hang high in the sky. The light poured through the windows,the only major form of illumination to the now quiet shop. Lady and Trish had left some time after the 3rd game, so only you and the white haired man were left. The sound the tv echoed throughout the shop as you and Dante sat on the couch together in the dark. It was some shitty action movie that neither of you paid attention to fully. Happily drunk, you nursed you glass of wine contently, trying to maintain the high. Your head was spinning--in the good way. You leaned against the devil-hunter, no longer paying attention to the movie. You looked up at him, facial features blurred from your glazed eyes. He was handsome, you thought. He did not look at you, but his arm which laid around your shoulder pulled you closer. You rested your hand on his thigh, feeling his leg tense from the contact before closing your eyes. You had a peaceful smile on your face as you relaxed under his touch, feeling his fingers rub circles into your shoulder blade. You nestled closer into his side, content. Maybe it was the alcohol, allowing this sort of contact, but you no longer mind. You wondered why. 

Dante looked at your form, eyes trailing down from the way your head rested on his shoulder to your legs comfortably tucked underneath you. His metabolism did not allow him to get nearly as drunk, so he enjoyed the small buzz. A small smiled tugged at his lips as he saw your chest slowly rise and fall. 

“Alright, time for you to go nighty night princess” he spoke, moving to get up before your hand subconsciously gripped him. He paused and looked at you, already passed out, your drink starting to tip in your loosened hand. Dante shakes his head, grabbing the glass and setting it gently on the coffee table. He knew you were tired, but damn that was quick. 

“Now, now… what to do with sleeping beauty..” He mused, still gently rubbing circles on your skin. This wasn’t the first time you’ve fallen asleep on him, but it was the first time you actually cuddled into his larger form. He enjoyed the way your bodies fit together perfectly. After several minutes of enjoying your radiating heat, he got up. Your head tilted and your body started to fall onto the leather couch before he picked you up. It wasn’t very graceful, but you didn’t wake up either. Your head lulled onto his chest, hair falling in front of your face. He carried you gentler this time--unlike his usual fireman carry. He walked up the stairs and gently opened the door to your room fully. Aspen perked up at your presence. The demon hunter set you gingerly onto the comfortable bed. He took a good look at you, seeing the way the moonlight highlighted your silhouette. He gently whistled. Damn, you looked good. Wait, what was he thinking? 

Dante shook his head, trying to ignore his wild imagination. The way you'd look on his bed--nope. The way your hair beautifully frames your face-noope. These were not appropriate things to be thinking right now. Not of you. Never of you. The white haired man looked at the window, partially cracked open. He’d never admit it, but he had a soft spot for you. Knowing each other for a long time and seeing you turn from a crazy wild graduate student to a fully fledged demon hunter struck at his heart strings. He would admit his attraction to you easily, hell, anyone would have to be blind not to notice your beauty. But to talk about his emotions? The way you make him feel? That was new territory. One he wasn’t ready to deal with yet. He couldn’t. 

 

Dante stepped out the room with an uncharacteristic sigh, leaving you to sleep off the alcohol. You had a dreamless slumber that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I think we got all the backstory through. I hope youre enjoying this so far; even if it is a little slow. If you have any feedback feel free to leave it in the comments!  
> Expect a more adventurous turn next chapter! I'll see you guys then <3


	3. Back to the Grind

The pounding of your feet echoed throughout the cavern. A body hung limply in your arms and you swore as the sounds of screeching and terror got closer. You looked down at the child in your arm, likely no more than 8. He was still breathing and that’s all that matters, you thought. Currently your whole “bait and switch” gig wasn’t going as smoothly as you thought it would, and the demons here might be a little more problematic than you originally believed. Still, you ran as fast as you could towards the exit, your hair freeing itself from your ponytail and pushed behind you from the wind. You needed to get out of here, by any means necessary.  
You felt your foot hit and snag on a rock as you ran at breakneck speed through the cavern, and suddenly your leg lagged behind the rest of your body. Well shit. Your eyes widen, feeling yourself falling. With reflexes you trained for years, you flipped over onto your back right before making contact with the hard bedrock. Your body skid several feet, your shirt and back being ripped up as you gritted your teeth, clutching the unconscious child in your arms.  

This wasn't supposed to end like this.

The sound of demons drew closer and you saw their eyes glowing in the darkness. You flipped again, gasping at the coldness of the air hit your raw wounds. You gently set the boy down before crawling back onto your feet. You’re going to have a last stand here, not enough time to get away more. You pulled your shotgun out of the back strap and caressed the barrel before stuffing the shells into the gun. You had named the weapon Cain, by her sleek glassy frame and sharp blades strapped onto the front, it felt fittingg. It was a wonderful pump action, and you readied your stance for the recoil. A large demon appeared before you, claws raised to tear you in two. 

Cain flared to life as you pulled the trigger of the weapon. The stock recoiled into your shoulder as you pumped the shotgun again, aiming at the next demon as they encroached on you. You started to back up as more surrounded you, taking shot after shot at the monsters. The only light came from the weapon’s firing, and the glowing eyes reflecting from the shots didnt settle well in your stomach. You let out a low growl in frustration, this is looking pretty bad all things considered. If you didn’t have to look after this kid--

The child groans behind you, starting to stir. Your attention turns for a second to get a better look at him. The boy was blond, but most of his short fringe was covered in that crimson liquid. You had caught him right before his head was to be cut off by some disgusting creature, and the shock left him unconscious in your arms. The poor kid was cut and scratched, but nothing too major appeared to concern you. Your attention switched back to the demons in front of you. They where getting closer, and each one downed by your bullets only left another in its place. You kept firing anyway, hoping to at least by some time for the child to bolt. The boy gripped his head as he looks to the fighting, terror and fear filling his bright blue eyes. His innocence was shattered, that much was certain. 

You grit your teeth as you took another shot and feeling your muscles twitch in soreness. You kicked a demon away from you as the empty shells of Cain where thrown into the air, reloading the weapon. “What are you doing kid? Get out of here!” You warned and the harshness of your voice set him on his feet. “T-thank you!” He cried out as you hear he scrambled up, feet digging into the dirt. You heard the panicked breathing and footsteps die out as the distance between you two increased. 

“You’re welcome” You muttered and started pacing back to the entrance of the cave, the demons still too close for your comfort. You needed more space. Firing as you backed up you coaxed them into the daylight. The sun was setting now, and the red hues played with the clouds in the sky. Spending most of the day travelling and getting intel, you felt yourself tire. Your actions started slow and there was more hesitation everytime you shot your gun. You hoped the creatures didn’t sense it. With an open area now available you shoved Cain away as you dodged the claws of one of the reptile-like demons in front of you. You jumped into the air, pulling out a large staff that was strapped to your back. Quickly, you pulled down the lever on the side of it. The large blade folded out from the staff and the appearance of it shifted upon being fully revealed. It was a large scythe, sharp shining steel met with the marbled rod. The object was engraved ornately, swirls and symbols across the entire thing along with a beautiful trim of gold which accentuated the aesthetic of the weapon. The scythe was named Abel, bemusingly. 

You used your momentum as you raced towards your enemy, ripping them in two as you brought the blade down. You spinned from the energy into another before landing on your feet, panting. Digging your feet into the sand, you launched yourself again. This was going on for the better part of an hour, but it felt like days--the way your body lagged past the speed your mind was going. You managed to evade most major attacks, but the little scratches here and there piled up as you cleaved your way through battle.

It was only a matter of time. The demons collapsed into a pile of ash before a new enemy entered your peripherial. A Hell Judecca paced out of the cavern, giving you no time of reprieve as it observed you up and down like a peice of meat. Fuck, you were tired. You watched its slithery limbs pulse over the skeleton of what you once assumed to be human. Its black cloth, if you could call it that, were stained and reeked of blood. You eyed it suspiciously, wiping off the gore from Abel.

Pulling out Cain, you aimed a shot and let the bullet fire from the barrel. To your surprise, the creature teleported only to appear in front of you, long blade slicing down onto you. You lept out of the way but the blade cut deep into your shoulder. A gasp of pain leaves your lips as you shoot again, causing it to teleport back some distance. So thats the type of game its going to be, you thought. Its blade came down upon you again as you rolled out of the way, seeing the way its tendrils elongated to reach you. Realizing that your trusty shotgun wasn’t going to keep up with the demon, you switched back to your scythe. Your bloody heels digged into the ground as you launched yourself. 

Upon the next strike you pulled yourself forward, aiming the scythe high and coming into contact with the tentacles that controlled its deadly blade and cutting straight through it. The Judecca screeched in pain and you covered your ears from the sound. It watched you squirm and its laughter replaced the sound. It raised its blade before coming to meet your skin, but you where prepared this time. As you’ve done a thousand times before, you brought up the rod of the scythe to meet the blade and gritted your teeth at the weight pushing down on you. You could’ve sworn you heard a cackle from the beast as you heard Hell Cainas arise from the ground. This battle of attrition was going terribly. You kicked it away from you before getting it to that sweet distance where your scythe cleaved it in two. The beast squirmed as it fell to the floor. You slam the pointed end out your rod into its skull, watching it writhe no more before turning to ash. You gasped and panted trying to catch your breath, seeing you get surrounded. Your fingers twitched around the handle of Cain, looking at your new adversaries.

It wasn’t going to end like this.

\---

You returned to the dusty room of the motel, falling onto the bed face down. Your body ached, covered in cuts, gashes, and gore. You could’ve sworn you saw the receptionist do a double take at your condition but you paid no mind. You groaned once more, pulling yourself up and taking your clothes off. You felt gross and slick, and everything was sticking to you. Your hair was stained with that rusty red-turned-brown as it was matted against your face. You needed to clean up. But the bed felt so soft. But you needed to clean up. 

Slowly arching your back and pushing your body from the bed with your strained arms, you sat up. You headed to the bathroom and turned on the shower. As you waited for the water to heat up you eyed your body. Scars, current and old covered you like terribly drawn constellations. You only had one major scar that stood out amongst the rest. Turning and twisting in the mirror you eyed the large gash across your back. It was black and jagged, starting at the left shoulder blade down across your spine and ended near the right half of your pelvis. It was a gruesome reminder the day your excavation team got attacked. Your eyes flickered with emotion before hardening once again.

“What an ugly thing.” You grimaced before stepping into the shower. The hot water helped release the tension in your muscles and you sighed comfortingly at the sensation. You watched as the color of the water, running red, cleared away. You slid your hands around your neck and smiled, massaging the aches away. A good shower was your ultimate crux. It gave you time to think and your body to rest; plus cleaning yourself of all the grossness from the day was immensely therapeutic. 

Your mind slowly drifted to your work, and from your work to Dante. Living with him wasn’t such a bad idea. But you couldn’t help but feel your brow crease in confusion. There was a pang in your heart and you didn’t understand why. Your attraction to Dante was apparent, at least to you. How could you not? He was charming, insanely handsome, and you...felt normal around him. You’d never fully integrate to a normal desk job after working as a demon hunter, but he still helped you feel like everything was okay, it was normal. Despite the constant late night take out, large tab for armaments, and a stupid amount of devil arms stored in the shop--it felt normal to you. The way he grinned at you when he says something ridiculous, showing his sharp white canines, made you feel a certain way. You felt your heart-strings tug remembering when you accidentally walked in on him with another woman a couple months ago; but why did you care? You slept with plenty of people since meeting him, why wouldn’t he? 

Slumping down in the shower and letting the water lap at your skin and hair, you got to work washing your hair with the complimentary shampoo and conditioner. You hissed in pain at the shower heating up unexpectedly. Well, that brought you back to reality. You quickly rinsed your hair our while standing up completely, gripping the handle of the tub to hoist yourself up. Turning it off, you grabbed the nearby white towel and dried yourself before stepping out. The steam fogged up the mirrors as you looked around at the room. It was a cheap motel, of course. You saw some of the paint peel off in the corners but you didn’t really mind. You stepped out of the bathroom to the bedroom. 

\--

The sound of your phone ringing filled the room as you laid on the bed, sprawled out while wearing nothing but a clean pair of underwear. You grabbed the phone and sighed before answering with a “Hello, this [y/n] speaking how may I help you?”. The sound of snickering on the other side caused your frown to deepen. “What do you want, Dante?” you spit out; tiredness lacing your voice. 

“Well what I want is a nice new bottle of whiskey and you keeping me company while I finish off this pizza” He bites back, playfulness in his voice. You can’t help but roll his eyes. 

“So how goes the solo mission? Let me guess, a bit more than you can-”  You didn’t even let him finish “-can chew. Yeah yeah, well unlike some sort of magical demon Jesus I know, it actually takes effort to kill demons.” You huffed, rubbing your temples. 

“Now now, I may the son of a ‘god’” You can feel his air quotes from here. “But I am no Jesus...Seriously though, how are you?” Dante’s voice drifted off as you turned to lay on your back. Was that concern? Pfft, yeah right. 

“Not too shabby. A bit sloppy near the finish and it cost me, but one of the boys got saved and I’m heading in tomorrow to finish it up.” You hummed as you listen to Dante’s breathing, eyeing the newly formed bruises on your body. You hear the sound of footsteps and a woman’s voice you didn’t recognize over the phone. Your brow knits. Dante sounds like he's got company. That familiar pang clutches your heart again. 

“Well, just remember I’m always a call away. I’ll come dig you out if that's what you need. Stay safe, alright? I’ve got someone over right now but then I'm as free as you want, Babe.” Well, that verified your thoughts. You frowned at the nickname--especially knowing that he’ll be calling the lady that same nickname in a matter of minutes. 

“Alright. I will. Take care, alright Dante? I’ll see you when I get back.” Your heart aches when you hear the phone get set down and you wondered if he even listened to you. You hear the woman over the phone asks who that was. Your heart clenches harder hearing Dante reply with ‘No one.’ 

So much for a nice conversation from your housemate. 

\--

Dante was led up to his bedroom by the woman, hand tugging him along while he was deep in his headspace. It was no one important, some lady he picked up at the bar in your absence. He sees her sit at the edge of the bed as he saunters over, already undoing his belt from his pants out of habit. Already buzzed from the whiskey he’s been sipping, he pays no mind to gentleness. Their lips crash into eachother, lust filling his senses as he easily dominates the kiss. He wonders what youre lips taste like for a second. Their tongues mingle before he bites on her lower lip, earning a wanton moan from the woman.  

He breaks the embrace, seeing the lustful smile on this woman's features as she stares back up to him, fingers intertwining with his white locks. Shes pretty, he’ll give her that. His hand trails her body like hes done many times before with many different partners, hitting all the right spots. He smirks at hearing her gasp, but his mind is somewhere else. His thoughts trail back to you as his fingers digs into the woman’s undergarments, running his tongue along her breasts earning him a gasp. He thinks about you, how he’d wish you where the one under him now--a squirming mess just as he plants hard kisses on the woman’s neck, leaving dark marks against the skin. His eyes darkened and he whispers in the girl’s ear seductively, gently working her core for him. God, he wishes it was you instead. 

“Well my dear, are you ready to dance with the devil?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops, this turned out way different than I had in mind. Ah well, nothing beats some good angst to spice up the story.  
> I'll see y'all next chapter!


	4. Back to the Grind pt.2

You stood in the empty bathroom, absentmindedly brushing your hair with a hairbrush as you got ready for the day. The open window in the motel room allowed light to illuminate the area, and the fresh smell of flora drifted into the space. You tied your hair up into a bun, but some shorter fringe failed to stay in place and fell across the frame of your face. You huffed, but didn’t go to retie your hair again.  
You eyed your outfit as you contemplated the weather for the day, a simple long knitted sweater and shorts. Long knee high socks covered your legs along with some padded armor made by Lady’s friend, Nico. It would do. Your eyes drifted up from your body to your tired face. Ever present dark circles contrasted your features, along with several little cuts that have scabbed over since yesterday. You looked terrible, but demon hunting didn’t need you to be pretty. 

You heard a buzz from your phone which snapped you out of your haze. You grab the phone from the counter and unlocked it, looking past the wallpaper of your friends and dog. Your notification pinged from a text. Oh, Dante. Your brow furrowed at the text.

_Hey. You need me to come down? -D._  
Another ping and you looked at the message afterword.  
I’m sure you could use the help. ;-) -D. __

__You couldn’t help but roll your eyes as you placed the phone back down onto the counter. He really didn’t have faith in you, did he? You looked around as your mind drifted. The call from last night played back in your head and you felt a small frown stretch across your face. Why did he care? He probably didn't, you thought. He’s just your job partner. He’s acting nice, you convinced yourself. Dante was too busy fucking other people, obviously. A sigh escaped your lips as you look back at the text. It was just pleasantries, right?  
Refusing yourself to get more worked up than you already were, you stuffed the cellphone in your pocket before grabbing your weapons. Currently, you have a job to finish up and then you can give Dante an earful. _ _

__You stepped out of the hotel room and locked it. You tossed the keys to the receptionist before making your way to the cave you visited yesterday. You passed through the town, eyeing the people who hid in their houses but looked at you through their blinds. You didn’t mind--they’re just scared, you rationalized. After 20 minutes of walking through the empty streets and into the wilderness, you arrived at the clearing from yesterday. It looked much more empty today, not a demon in sight. It was almost too empty, no birds singing or the buzz of insects. Everything was quiet. Rubbing the back of your neck, you stared at the sudden clouding over of the sky. Well, there was always a hope that things went smoother this time. As you stepped into the cave, you failed to notice the tiny figure watching you enter._ _

__\--_ _

___As with the way the universe is, it did not go smoother this time around._ _ _

____You gasped and clawed at the beast before you, nails digging into hard hide but nothing could stick. You where currently hoisted in the air, a clawed hand gripping your neck and your weapons laid out of reach on the cavern floor. Your head was spinning from a lack of oxygen as you heard the demon cackle._ _ _ _

____“Is this the best you humans can do? Just a little whelp? I can’t tell if I should take offense or not.” The demon snarls before choking you harder. You tried to remove the hand at your throat, trying to gasp for air. Your nails dug into an area between the joints but nothing fazed the demon. Your vision is blurring, and you let a hand fall to reach for a weapon that was no longer there. Your sounds of struggle are the only ambiance in this dark cave, littered with bodies of the men and women who have entered here before._ _ _ _

____That probably should’ve been the first red flag._ _ _ _

____A sudden rush of pain fills your senses as you are thrown across the cavern, back smacking against the hard stone and its jagged nature tore at the old scabs from yesterday. You yelped at the contact, dropping onto the floor unceremoniously. Agony is the only thing you can concentrate on as your whole body pulsed. You're pretty sure one of your ribs are broken, if not more. You slowly try to lift yourself up as the demon prowls towards you, eyes filled with bloodlust and malicious intent. Blood drips from your forehead onto the soft sand below you, and your vision has yet to return as you grip your head. The demon licks along its teeth, a sinister grin on its features._ _ _ _

______“Maybe I can keep you as my plaything, entertain me for a little bit before I decide to tear your skin off and keep your pretty head as a trophy.” The demon cackled.  
This isn't good, there's no way you can take this demon on in your state. But you’ll be damned if you don’t try. You watched its mannerisms, how it swayed and was probably way more interested in itself than you at this point. You braced yourself.  
When it was looking around and sniffing the air you dug your feet into the floor before jumping--rushing towards your scythe across the large room. You jump over the dead bodies, trying to ignore their faces when you reach Abel. While it’s distracted at your sudden disappearance from your previous spot, you grabbed the rod and begin unfurling the blade. Its eyes meet yours and you jumped back into the air to avoid another swipe from its claws. You attempt to bring Abel down onto its neck but not before being slammed into the nearby wall. _ _

____The stone cracked around your form and you spit blood from your mouth at the contact. You feel its large clawed hand grip your torso against the stone, the pressure threatening to snap you in two. You yet out a pained wail as its grip on your form tightens. The creature snarled at you and your eyes meet. Cussing, you lift your arms with Abel and stab the monster’s hand with the sharp edge of the rod. A roar of pain greets your ears and your body falls against the stone._ _ _ _

____Blood fills your mouth as you cough. The demon’s snarl grows, unamused at your attempt to fight. “Insolent Wretch!” It roared and slammed its fists onto the floor. You pulled yourself up and steadied your heartbeat as the demon came upon you. Its large nature eclipsed for form as you raise your scythe in preparation. You dodged the first sweep easy enough, stabbing the blade into its injured hand and using the momentum to flip you onto the arm of the creature. You let out your own growl as you strained your body, pulling your scythe clean through one of its digits._ _ _ _

____The beast roared in pain before bringing his second clawed hand onto your form. You jumped back and swatted it away with another quick blow from Abel. You landed on your feet and clutched your chest as you staggered. You watch the demon flail from its lost digit before turning back towards you, anger and rage filling its eyes as it charges again. You sliced at the clawed hand before parrying to the side, running along its length and dragging Abel into its hard hide. You didn’t even notice you stepped on your cell phone, shattering the screen._ _ _ _

______\--  
The demon watched you with inquisitive eyes, rage slowly taking over as it sees you attack its form with blades and bullets. The injuries hurt, but that was not what mattered. It’ll just reform, try again. But you...  
How dare you? Does a human think they can take on the almighty Malacoda? How pitiful. But you are only human, and your energy would wane. It felt you get slower with every strike, and your wounds made you weaker. The way you sliced at its front limb left you open, sloppily. It can strike now. _ _

____Time slowed down then, your eyes wide when you see sharp teeth come down onto your body. You felt the pressure of teeth sink into your abdomen, and the searing pain of it rending your flesh. You let out a blood-curdling scream of pain, blood splattering the stone as your body went limp in the jaws of the demon. “You never knew when to give up, wretch,” Malacoda growled, pinching down on your stomach harder and you cried out in pain, tears filling your eyes and your mouth went dry. Fuck, you're going to die here. Your mind wasn’t working, no thoughts being able to form. You couldn’t figure a way out, not as its teeth dug into your flesh and your strength leaving your body._ _ _ _

____Your mind started to drift past the pain: to Dante, your friends, your family. The wetness from your eyes covered your face from the pain and the regrets. You didn’t want to die. You couldn’t. You haven't seen the world yet. You haven’t gotten revenge yet. You needed to see this through, you can’t die here._ _ _ _

____You resisted, trying to peel yourself off the jagged teeth. The demon chuckled at your feeble attempt._ _ _ _

____You needed something--anything! Then the feeling of metal registered in your palm. You held Cain in your hand. You just needed to pull the trigger. The teeth dug deeper with every movement, but you needed to do this. You had too. Slowly, you lifted the shotgun til it rested on the snout of the large being. “I still don’t.” You growled back. You gritted your teeth through the pain and pulled the trigger. You saw the bullet enter the flesh of the snout and you felt yourself being lifted upon hearing its roar of pain. You fell out of the jaws and onto the ground, rolling onto your chest. You laid there prone attempting to get up but your body wasn’t responding. Too much blood loss. _Shit. _The last you hear was more roars and the pound of its weight hitting the cavern walls and ground. Your eyes glazed over and your consciousness slipped away.___ _ _ _

______\--_ _ _ _ _ _

______It was quiet at Devil May Cry. Maybe too quiet. Dante was in his normal place, feet up on his desk as he perused one of his many magazines. He expected you to be on the way back by now, but no such texts or calls made the way to his phone. His thoughts drifted for a second before returning to the scantily clad women in his bathing suit magazine. Bah, you were never a good texter. It was probably nothing._ _ _ _ _ _

______He heard shuffling upstairs and assumed it was the girl he had over last night. It was a good lay. He paid no mind the woman when she walked out of the room and down the stairs. He didn’t care when she left her number on his desk or even looked at her embarrassing walk of shame out the shop._ _ _ _ _ _

______Dante’s thought drifted, seeing the number scrawled onto a piece of paper. Did he offend you? He thought about the call, but couldn’t really understand why you sounded so distant last night. Maybe it was just the stress from work. But if you were really worried, you’d just call--right?_ _ _ _ _ _

______The sound of the phone ringing broke his daze. Dante grabbed the phone and put out his characteristic “Devil May Cry” in his ever-present attitude. The sound of crying caught his attention, was that a child? The child over the phone continued to hyperventilate over the phone as Dante stayed silent, listening._ _ _ _ _ _

______“She...She's missing! I know it! She’s hurt, and it's all his fault! Please, help!?” The child hiccuped, crying over the phone. Dante’s heartstrings pulled but he remained steady. “Alright, hang on. What are you talking about? Who is missing?” He asked, sitting himself up and adjusting in his seat. What is he talking about?_ _ _ _ _ _

______“The woman who came here! She's like the others!” The boy cried. Dante’s brow furrowed. Like the others? The boy starts describing the woman--he starts describing you. “She...She went to the cave! My papa went there too! She's in danger, I know it!! Please…” The boy's words were garbled by then, lost between the poor connection and heavy sobs._ _ _ _ _ _

______Dante’s blood ran cold. [y/n]? He gave a quick goodbye and jolted out of his chair. He quickly grabbed Rebellion and his faithful twin .45s and was out the door in under a minute. He slammed the key in the ignition of his old motorcycle and took off down the street and towards the coast. He wasn’t one to pray, but he’d be damned if he didn’t make it there in time._ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy; It's been a while. Sorry for the sporadic postage!  
> Tbh I'm not quite satisfied with this chapter so I may edit it more down the line. Let me know what you think! I'll see y'all soon!


	5. Medical Emergency

The rain pelted the ground hard, the only sound to accompany Dante during his drive along with his racing thoughts. Thunder echoed in the distance and a flash of lightning illuminated the sky but he persisted--though now thoroughly soaked. He had been driving for several hours now, pace far exceeding the posted speed limit. The site of the coastal town came into view and he revved the engine and sped up. He drifted into one of the streets, startling the nearby townsfolk. He quickly asked the nearby person where the demons were--a tone that made sure there was time for small talk. A couple directions and a fearful faces later he got the location down. He was gone almost as quickly as he arrived.

It took maybe around 5 minutes until he made it to this infamous cave. Dante pulled up to the mouth, his grip on the motorcycle loosening at the site of it. The whole place reeked of death and sulfur. The trees swayed in the wind but the forest around here was devoid of all life as the rain came down. He slowly got off, seeing the trail of gore which started in the clearing and dragged into the mouth of the cavern. He eyed the ground, seeing slash marks on the ground and empty shotgun shells. There was no doubt about it, you were here. He sniffed the air and the smell of blood was prominent even past the petrichor and fresh earth. It was mixed with demon and...yours. Shit. He pulled out his phone and called your number, but it quickly went to voicemail. Swearing under his breath he readied himself and started walking towards the cave. 

Dante started walking down the quiet expanse of the cavern, Rebellion in his hand. He listened to the sound of clattering of steel and the roar of a demon as he traveled deeper in. His eyes adjusted to the dark simply enough and he navigated the cavern tunnels with relative ease, following the trail of demon corpses and ash to guide him to you. His slow walk turned into a run when he had heard a blood curdling scream and one fire from a shotgun he knew well. [y/n]... His sprint echoed down the hall and his eyes widened at the scene before him.

You laid motionless on floor of the cavern, hand outstretched towards your shotgun. Your eyes were half lidded and dull, with blood smeared across your face and soaked your once nice sweater. Your hair had been released from its hair tie and covered over part of your face and draped across your shoulders. You looked dead. You weren’t breathing.  
Behind your body, littered amongst the other corpses was one of the largest monsters he’s seen in a while. A giant hulking werewolf like creature, slouched and clutching its eye in pain. It was gashed up to hell and back, patches of fur stained in a deep red crimson. Your work. It’s attention turned to Dante and it let out a low growl as it let go of its eye; revealing a large bullet hole where its eyeball once was. 

Dante’s feet moved before his mind did, he ran towards you and scooped your unconscious body up in his arms before he could registered what he was doing. He needed to get you out of here. He jumped back as the demon attempted to swipe at him and gripped your form tightly, his hands shaking. Landing gently on his feet, the demon hunter brushed some of your hair out of your face and laid his ear on your chest. A heart beat. Two. You were still alive, but maybe barely. 

His attention was brought back to the demon when it let out an enraged roar. Dante’s eyes darkened at the creature and the frown on his face turned into an equally dangerous snarl. He felt himself shift into his devil trigger; wings sprouting and an ever present heat enveloping him as his skin turns to a hard leather and scales. Rage filled his heart, how dare this monster do this to you? Dante gently set you down against the wall of the cave before turning his attention to the demon before him. Malacoda roared in anger, breath heavy as he taunts, “Ahh.. Sparda’s kin. I could smell that stench long before you arrive.”The demon hissed as the demon hunter readied his stance with Rebellion. 

Malacoda made the first move, charging at Dante with his jaws open in an attempt to tear him asunder. However Dante was quicker, his wings stretching and flapping to gain height on the creature. Rebellion sliced clear through the demon’s hand when it attempted to punch Dante down from the air. He let out a low growl as he pushed rebellion further, removing the hand from the arm of the beast. Malacoda roared in agony, stumbling back and clutching the stump. The demon hunter swiped the blade clean of blood, eyes glowing incandescently with wrath. 

“You see, I don’t take too kindly to big lumbering beasts like you. Especially when they cause this much mess!” Dante taunted, gesturing to the piles of bodies around him. “Shame, I’m sure you’d’ve made a great rug.” Readying his sword again, he charged at Malacoda. 

Tired from its previous fight Malacoda was weakened and the demon hunter made good use of this advantage, making quick work of beast as he hacked at the beast’s limbs. The difference in strength was great, but Dante refused to let his guard down. He needed this done, fast. You were still bleeding out over there. 

You laid motionless against the wall, head lulling to one side and eyes fluttering. For a second, Dante was distracted--and that was all that was needed. There was a cackle as he felt claws puncture his smaller frame. 

A nasty snarl was emitted as Dante was pulled closer to the beast. “How vain..” Malacoda chuckled before slamming the demon hunter into the ground, his claws going through the man’s torso. Dante gasped out in pain, his teeth gritting as he stabs his sword through the hand which pinned him to the floor. The agony and throbbing he felt only fueled his desire to bring this monster down. 

Malacoda roared and slammed his fist into the cavern wall, desperation on its face as Dante slowly got up, wings expanding and the wounds he had inflicted already beginning to close. Dante snarled as he charged and subsequently slammed Rebellion through the skull of the beast. He saw the devious intent in the eye of the demon as his Devil Trigger wore off. It’s body began to slack and disintegrate as a black fume began to arise from the corpse. Dante coughed and began to step back. 

The cavern started to shake and the stalactites begin to fall from the ceiling. Shit, that demon was planning on bury the entire underground system. Dante pulled his sword out of the body and made a B-line towards your body. He picked you up bridal style and nearly shivered at how cold you were. He strained his ears to listen to your dull and quiet heartbeat, but fear clutched his own. You were going to die if he didn’t get help. And fast. 

Dante sprinted out of the cavern and placed you gently in his lap when got onto his motorcycle, hands stained with your blood but he didn’t care. It revved to life and your eyes fluttered for a second. Dante straddled the motorcycle and drove with one hand, the other placed firmly on your lower back, planning to keep you there. He hoped he could get to the hospital in time, for both of your sakes. 

\--

The buzz of machines filled the room as Dante paced quietly. Fear stretched over his face when he had brought you in. You had went into emergency surgery right then and there, and Dante was left in the waiting room while you were gone for over 3 hours now. He looked like a mess, tears in his shirt and iconic red jacket; hands and arms stained from your blood when he carried you in. He had sent a call out to Morrison to keep him updated on the job and texted Lady and Trish about your condition. Still, he consistently paced the waiting room with vigor. It was relatively empty, thank goodness. He couldn’t sit, fear and anxiety clutching his chest when he thought of you. Why hadn’t you called? Did you know it was going to be like this? What were you thinking?

The sound of the door opening caught his attention and he looked over at the nurse who held a clipboard in her hand. “Mr. Sparda?” She called out and he walked over, his stride small and slow. “How is she?” He spoke, voice barely above a whisper and on the verge of cracking--extremely uncharacteristic of his normal laid back attitude. The nurse sighed but kept a small, sincere smile on her face. “The surgery was a success. We had to do a blood transfusion along with other procedures. Resuscitation was needed... “ She trailed off, Dante’s eyes widening and his heart clutched just thinking about it. The nurse went on, “She had a punctured lung and severe damage to her torso. Right now she is stitched up and in an induced coma. She should wake up soon, maybe in a day or two.” 

His shoulders slumped and he rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to calm himself from the flurry of emotions he was feeling. She’s going to be okay. She’ll be okay. 

The Nurse brought Dante back to the hospital room you were in. It was full of machines and the smell of sanitizer was borderline overwhelming. His looked at you and his heart broke in two at the sight of your condition. 

You where hooked up to several machines, an IV punctured in your arm and several sensors over your body were placed to monitor your heart rate. A respiratory device was placed on over your mouth to help you breathe and stitches with medical tape was placed all over your torso. You were put into one of the hospital gowns for privacy but he could still see some of the wounds you received during your fight with the demon. Your eyes were closed shut but there was a peaceful look as you stayed under. Outside of that, bruises and smaller cuts were dotting all over your limbs and face, and an extremely dark circle around your neck. He gritted his teeth, the bastard had tried to choke you to death. 

Dante walked slowly to the bed, pulling a chair up. He sat down and took your hand in his, interlocking the fingers. He observed your features with careful curiosity--much like one would look at a terrible accident. He couldn’t look away, not with how much damage was inflicted on you yet your peaceful complexion. He remembered your dead, lifeless gaze when he found you. He wouldn’t cry. He won’t. Right? 

Tears filled his eyes but he quickly swept them away, turning his eyes onto your face as he gently moved to swipe the hair obscuring his view. “I could’ve lost you..” His voice little more than a whisper. He put your hand up to his forehead and let out a shaky sigh. “Make sure you come back to me, [y/n]... Please?” 

The sound of the machine’s steady beat of your heartbeat was the only response he got.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay everyone! I think we're officially done with all the action scenes, at least for now :) Sorry for the relatively light chapter, but I felt like it made sense to end it there.  
> Its on the Angst train from here on out so buckle up y'all!


End file.
